Suction cleaner



April 9, 1935. A. D. slEDLE v1,996,934

sUCTIoN CLEANER I Filed May 18, 1955 2 Sheets-sheet 1 P I 2 6 k a F191 INVENTOR ATTORNEY )Keys I A. D. SIEDLE SUCTION CLEANER April 9, 1935.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fild may 18, 1953 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 9, 1935 sUc'rIoN CLEANER Arnold D. sieale, North cantn, ohio, assignr to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application May 18, 1933, Serial No. 671,634

9 Claims.

'Ihe present invention relates to suction cleaners in general and particularly to a new and novel headlight for a suction cleaner. More specically, the present invention comprises the provision of a headlight for a suction cleaner which is mounted at the very iront of the suction cleanerkl and within the normal nozzle contour;

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleanerv headlight construction. It is a further object to provide a suction cleaner headilght which is so positioned that the light rays are directed without interference toward the surface covering undergoing cleaning immediately forward of the cleaner nozzle. A further object is the provision, in a suction cleaner, of a headlight which is positioned in the rear of and protected by the furniture guard which surrounds the nozzle. Still another object is the provision of a headlight in a suction cleaner in a protected position from which light rays can be directed on to the surface covering about to be cleaned. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specication and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings towhich they relate.

In the drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are disclosed: Figure 1 is a front view of a suction cleaner embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of a cleaner embodying the present invention, being partially in section upon the line 2 2- of Figure l; Figure 3 is al section upon the line 3--3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a front view of a second` preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a side view, of a' cleaner shown in-Figure 5 certain parts being shown in section upon the line 6-6 of Figure 5 Figure 7 is a section upon the line 1--1 of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a section upon the line `88 of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a section upon the line 9-9 of- Figure 8; Figure 10 is a section upon the line Ill- I0 of Figure 8; Figure 11 is a section upon the line II--II of Figure 6.

Referring again to the drawing a modern suction cleaner is shown which ,comprises a main casing including a nozzle I, a fan chamber 2, an air passageway 3 which interiorly connects the nozzle to the fan chamber, and an exhaust outlet 4, a suitable `dust bag 5 being removably attached to the latter. 'A motor casing 6 is carried by the main casing immediately over the fan chamber 2 and vencloses a suitable unshown driving` motor which drives the suction-creating fan 'I'l within the fan chamber 2. Fan 1, upon rotation, creates a reduced pressure within chamber 2which is effective to draw cleaning air between the nozzle lips 8 and 9, through the air passageway 3and exhaust it through the exhaust 5 outlet 4 into the dust bag 5 where the suspended foreign matter is removed. Front, supporting wheels I0, I Il and rear wheels II, II render the machine readily movable upon the exertion of a moving force by the operator through the piv- 10 otally mounted handle I2. As in the usual suction cleaner of modern design a rotatable agitator I3 is provided within the nozzle I, beingrotatably carried by a stationary shaft I4 so po- A sitioned within the nozzle that the rigid beatl5 ing element I5 and the flexible brush I6 -arev adapted to contact and agitate the surface-covering which is lifted between the nozzle lips 8 and 9 by the reduced pressure existing within the nozzle I. A power-transmitting belt I1 ex- 20 tends from the rotary agitator to an unshown driving pulley carried by the lower end of the motor shaft as in the usual suction cleaner construction.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, a 25 preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. The front wall of the nozzle I is. provided with an elongated frontal opening and in this opening and extending ,rearwardly into the nozzle is a headlight reflector 20. The edges of 30 reiiector 20 closely seat around the opening in the nozzle and prevent the leakage o1' air therebetween. The reector may be secured in place by any suitable means such as rivets 2|. As is clearly seen in Figure 3 reiiector 20 extends com- 35 pletely across the front of the nozzle contacting the nozzle side walls at its ends. A furniture guard 22 surrounds the nozzle, as in the usual suction cleaner construction, but according to the present invention is divided adjacent the 40 headlight opening in the nozzle into two parts which extend around the headlight, a protecting screenk extending between the two parts and protecting the interior of the reector.

Head lamp sockets 23, 23 are carried by the 45 nozzle end Walls within the reilector 20 being 'secured thereto. An insulating threaded bushing 24 extends through an opening 25 in the adjacent endwall and is screwthreaded into a securing `nut 26 on the exterior thereof. A ber plate or 50 disc 21 between the base of the socketandthe Wall cooperates with bushing 24 to insulate the socket from the nozzle. Within each socket 23 which, as illustrated in Figure I, is positioned in the rear of the nozzle front wall adjacent the ends of thenopening therein, is seated a lamp bulb 29 which is suitably secured therein as by a bayonet and slot cooperation.

, Electric current is conveyed to the sockets 23, 23 by electrical conductors 30, 3l), each of which extends from a contact 3i, secured within the nozzle to the front wall of the fan chamber 2, through a closed channel along the nozzle top wall formed by depending walls 32, 32 and a bottom plate 33. Each contact 3| extends upwardly through an opening in the nozzle and is itself contacted by a spring contact 34 carried by the motor casing 6 between insulating members or blocks 35, 35 in its lower edge adjacent fan chamber 2. As is clearly seen in Figure 2 the flange of the motor casing overlies the contacts 3|, 3l and, being recessed thereabove, forms a pocket, the walls 3B of which are insulated, within which the contacts 3i and 34 meet. Within motor casing 6 each contact 34 makes electrical connection with a current-carrying conductor 3l which is suitably connected to one of the incoming power leads 38, 38. The construction is such that the motor casing 6 and the enclosed motor can be removed from the main casing of the machine without disconnecting the wiring to the headlight, the contacts 3l and 34 separating as the casing is removed again making contact as it is replaced.

Referring now to Figures 5 to 11, in particular, a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed which in its general outlines is quite similarto that aforedescribed. In

this embodiment, however, provision has been made to replace the common electric lamp by a neon tube as the light-creating means, and this substitution has necessitated certain structural changes. The nozzle front wall is again provided with an opening similar to that shown in the first embodiment which is surrounded and protected by the resilient furniture guard 22. 'I'he reflector, in the present construction indicated by the reference character 39, instead of contacting the nozzle end walls at its ends is closed short thereof by insulating closures 4U, 40. The front of the reiiector 39 seats in the opening in the front nozzle wall and is secured in place by rivets 4I, 4|, as in the first embodiment. To compensate for the absence of the stabilizing contact between the reiiector 39 and the end walls of the nozzle, as found in the first embodiment, depending wall portions 42, 42 have been formed Within the nozzle which contact the top side of the reiiector at its ends and cooperate with the rivets 4l, 4I to position the said reflector. Within each insulating end of the refiector a suitable tube seat 43 of flexible springlike material and adapted to receive an end of the elongated neon tube 44 is provided. At each end of the tube within the end pieces 40, 40 a spring contact 45 is provided which makes electrical contact with the adjacent end of the tube when mounted in its seat 43.

The incoming leads to the contacts 45, 45 bear the reference characters 3U, 30, as in the rst embodiment, and extend through a channel within the nozzle, formed as in that embodiment, to the same type of contacts. In the present embodiment, however, a suitable transformer 46 is provided which is mounted immediately in the rear of the motor casing 6 in a protected position. The leads 31, 37, which convey the current to the leads 39, 30, are connected, according .to this embodiment, to the transformer for the purpose of changing, preferably raising. the voltage to a magnitude suitable for use with the tube 44.

The transformer is itself connected by leads 41, 4l to a source of incoming power.

In the operation of the suction cleaner headlight constructed in accordance with the present invention upon the closing ofthe cleaner operating switch current passes through the cleaner motor and through the light-creating means embodied in the cleaner. As the surface covering is lifted below the nozzle I into contact with the lips 8 and 9 and the agitator is rotated in Contact therewith to effect the cleaning operation the light rays from the light-creating means are directed by the reflector onto the surface covering immediately in front of the nozzle thereby making apparent to the user of the machine the particles of foreign matter which reside upon the surface covering and which must be removed before the covering can be considered clean. Being positioned at the extreme forward part of the machine there are no obstructions to the light rays vand the lightin its full brilliance is effective. l

I claim:

l. In a suction cleaner, a casing including a nozzle having surface-contacting lips, a reflector carried by said nozzle closely adjacent the plane of said nozzle lips,'said reflector being positioned within the normal contour of said nozzle with its interior sealed from the interior of said nozzle, bulb-supporting means within said reector, a light bulb carried by said means, and current-carrying means extended rearward- 1y from said reector to a source of electricity.

2. In a suction cleaner, a casing including a nozzle having surface-contacting lips, light- ,creating means carried by said nozzle Within the and adjacent said opening sealing said opening,

a light socket within said nozzle at each end of said opening, a bulb carried by each socket, a current-carrying means connecting said sockets with a source of electric current, and protecting means at said opening insaid nozzle.

4. In a suction cleaner, a casing including a surface-contacting nozzle, means movably supporting said casing, a headlight carried by the front wall of said nozzle within the normal contour thereof and closely adjacent the surface covering, means forward of said headlight protecting said headlight without interfering with the passage of light, and means connecting said light to a source of electricity.

5. vIn a suction cleaner, a casing including a nozzle having a forward wall and a surface-contasting mouth, an opening in the forward wall of said nozzle, light-creating means positioned in said nozzle adjacent said opening and sealed from the interior of said nozzle, and currentcarrying means extended thru said nozzle to said light-creating means, and means enclosing said current-carrying means and sealing them from the interior of said nozzle.

6. In a suction cleaner, a casing including a nozzle having surface-contacting lips, a recess in the forward wall of said nozzle, a neon tube positioned in said recess closely above the plane of said lips, said tube being sealed from the interior of said nozzle, contacts in said nozzle for said tube, and current-carrying means extended thru said nozzle and sealed therefrom to said contacts.

7. In a suction cleaner, a casing including a nozzle having a forward Wall and a surfacecontacting mouth, an opening in the forward wall of said nozzle, light-creating means positioned in said opening, and sealed from the interior of said nozzle, and current-carrying means supplying said light-creating means.

8. In a suction cleaner, a fan chamber, a. nozzle having lips adapted to engage the surface covering to be cleaned, said nozzle having a wall provided with a light outlet positioned a slight distance above the-plane of said lips,

a second wall secured to the said nozzle wall and forming therewith a chamber sealed from the interior of said nozzle, a light creating means positioned Within said last mentioned chamber and in registry with said outlet and means to conduct energy to said light creating means.

9. In a suction cleaner, a surface engaging portion, including a ycasing having an air passageway and a light chamber, lips on said casing in cooperative relation to said air passageway, said light chamber being located closely adjacent to said lips and in front of the air passageway and sealed therefrom, said light chamber having a light outlet in the Wall thereof, said casing and said light chamber constituting the nozzle of the cleaner.

ARNOLD D. SIEDLE. 

